No ‘noted’ this time on CoC queries —JPE By Angie M. Rosales and Gerry Baldo 05/26/2010

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No ‘noted’ this time on CoC queries —JPE By Angie M. Rosales and Gerry Baldo 05/26/2010 Unlike in the 2004 canvass of the presidential and vice presidential votes when all questions on the validity of Certificates of Canvass (CoCs) were dismissed by having it “noted” by congressional canvass committee co-chairman Sen. Francis Pangilinan, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said every challenge on the CoCs will not be disregarded this time around. The 2004 elections gave President Arroyo a fresh six-year term but her mandate has been questioned until this day because of credible allegations of widespread and systematic fraud. “Congress must ensure that the sovereign will of the people, expressed through the ballot, is respected and upheld, and that the canvassing of votes will be undertaken in an orderly and transparent manner,” Enrile said. Enrile and Speaker Prospero Nograles also said the joint congressional canvass will not sacrifice accuracy with speed in proclaiming the new president and vice president. As the two Houses of Congress convened as the National Board of Canvassers for the presidential and vice presidential elections yesterday, 61 certificates of canvass (CoCs) are yet to be delivered. Enrile reported this out yesterday as he addressed his colleagues during the joint session proceedings with the House of Representatives in Batasan Pambansa building in Quezon City. There are a total of 278 CoCs to be canvassed by the board and so far, there are only 98 local and regional CoCs submitted, 1 local absentee voting and 118 overseas absentee voting CoCs. A total 222 certificates of canvass were delivered by the Senate to the House of Representatives late Monday night. Enrile said 54 more COC’s are expected to be delivered soon, making the total number of COCs at 276. Ballot boxes containing COCs from the overseas absentee voting COC’s and one local absentee voting have already been delivered at the Batasan Pambasa building at 1:03 am yesterday. The canvassers, however, failed to open a single ballot box containing the provincial CoCs due to debates on the unresolved questions on the authenticity of the election documents. Section 17 of the canvass rules pervaded the initial debates on whether the COCs before them were duly executed, signed and thumbmarked by the election officials that sent them. The issue was first brought up by Enrile who said in his opening remarks that Congress must determine the “authenticity and due execution” of the certificates of canvass submitted to it relative to the provisions of the Automated Elections Law (RA 9369). “Comelec must explain why, in its order or directive under Resolution No. 8786 dated March 4, 2010, it disregarded the requirement of the law for digital signatures to be affixed before transmitting the results of the voting,” he said. Section 17 states: “The Joint Committee shall satisfy itself that (a) each CoC was duly executed, signed and thumb marked by the Chairman and Members of the City, district, and provincial BoCs (Board of Canvassers); (b) that it contains that names of all the candidates for President and Vice president and their corresponding votes in words and figures; and (c) that there exists no discrepancy in other authentic copies of the CoCs or in any of its supporting documents such as statement of votes by city, district, or provincial BoCs or discrepancy in the votes of any candidate in words and figures in the certificate.”.. MORE    Source:  The Daily Tribune   URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100526hed2.html

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